Tim Tebow has been the subject of a couple of tabloid dustups since becoming a Jet, but so far the man himself has doggedly avoided saying or doing anything to fuel the media storms -- a downright Eli-esque performance.

So, Tim, eight months in, how do you think you have been treated by the famously feisty New York media?

"It's a good question,'' he said Wednesday. "I was so open-minded about it that my mindset was ready for anything. So I felt prepared.

"I feel like I've built a relationship with a lot of the reporters who are here every day. I have tried to, at least. You get to know them a little bit. I try to tease them and make it more than just them asking me questions.''

Has the experience been easier or more difficult than he expected? "I haven't viewed it as hard,'' he said. "I think they have to do their jobs so you understand that and try to help them as much as you can with it.''

Tebow said he can't accurately assess how fair the coverage has been because he attempts to ignore it. "I just try to stay in a little bubble, as hard as that is and as much as you hear stuff,'' he said.

"I've been very blessed in my career to play in some places where they have very passionate fans and great fan bases so you get a lot of attention. But it's the New York market, so it's obviously a little different than most.''

Like back page headlines? "Yeah,'' he said, laughing. "That's different.''

-- NEIL BEST

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